


Holding It Together

by Books_and_Blooms



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Sappy Ending, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:15:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25964206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Books_and_Blooms/pseuds/Books_and_Blooms
Summary: Set a few days after 4X03, Nicole is still struggling.  Waverly does not want to pressure Nicole into talking about her year and a half, but really wants to help her with whatever is going on.  Some unsolicited advice from Wynonna helps Waverly give Nicole the reassurance that she needs to start to heal.  Mostly angst and fluff . . . maybe a little bit of smut if you squint.
Relationships: Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught
Comments: 21
Kudos: 293





	Holding It Together

**Author's Note:**

> I feel really bad for Nicole, but I am so grateful that the show is handling her trauma-processing so well. I hope that Waverly doesn't come across as "pushy" in this. I feel like Waverly has to be struggling with how to help Nicole, and that it might be nice for Nicole to just listen until she feels like talking. We don't get a lot of Waverly being the "take-charge", rock for Nicole, and I love it when we get to see that side of her. I kind of hashed this out pre-4X04, so I don't touch on whatever deal Nicole may have made . . . although, I don't not touch on it. I just want our poor girl to feel better!

Waverly Earp stood shivering, the knee-deep snow beginning to invade her boots. This was the third night in a row that she waited patiently while Nicole checked the traps scattered around the homestead. She was beyond thankful for her girlfriend’s diligence, but her heart sank every time Nicole pulled away from her. Nicole had always been Waverly’s rock, her calm in the storm, but right now, Waverly wasn’t sure what she could do to get that version of Nicole back. She knew that Nicole was struggling and pressuring her to talk was only going to make things worse. She just didn’t know what she could do to help. 

“Are they all okay?” Waverly asked as Nicole leaned her shotgun against the side of the barn. Nicole gave her a weak smile. Her eyes, dimmer than Waverly remembered. The redhead just looked so tired. 

“I thought maybe there was one by the back fence, but I think a racoon, or a skunk just set it off.” She shrugged and rubbed her hands together for warmth. Waverly reached for her and bit her lip. Nicole instantly took her hand, and they walked together back to the homestead porch. Just as the brunette reached out to open the door, a loud noise sounded from inside the house. Nicole threw her body against Waverly, effectively pinning her against the wooden siding with a loud thud. 

“Shit, Nicole!” Waverly huffed out, trying to catch her breath after having most of the wind knocked out of her. Nicole still had her eyes screwed shut, and her teeth gritted. Waverly cupped her face. 

“Baby, it was just Wynonna. She slams things. She throws dishes into the sink from across the room. She drops pots. She might have finally noticed Rachel has her jacket on,” the brunette smirked. Nicole blinked slowly, but looked everywhere but at Waverly’s face, avoiding all eye contact. She was embarrassed, and she could have hurt the smaller woman. 

“I’m . . . a . . . I’m going to go take a shower . . . okay? I just . . . ah . . . I need to . . .” she trailed off. Waverly watched as she took off through the door of the homestead, kicking her boots off before she headed up the steps. 

“What’s up with Haught?” Wynonna asked from the kitchen. Waverly let out a sigh as she slumped into the kitchen chair across from her. Wynonna, surprisingly, waited patiently on a response. 

“She . . . she’s just so jumpy,” Waverly said softly as she heard the shower turn on. “She’s so scared. She can’t relax.” 

Wynonna let out a small chuckle, “From what Rachel said, you two had no trouble relaxing the night you came home.” 

Waverly rolled her eyes. “I’m not joking, Wynonna. Something is really wrong. She won’t talk about it. I want to help her, but I don’t know how to fix it,” Waverly replied shyly. It was true that she was at a loss. She knew that the last 18 months had to be absolute Hell for Nicole. She couldn’t imagine going 18 months without her girlfriend (fiancé?). She had barely managed being away from her for 48 hours. She had seen the town. She knew that everything had gone to shit. She wanted, more than anything, to just tell Nicole that the four of them—five of them including Rachel—would get through this together. They were together now. Isn’t that what really mattered? She didn’t have to be alone anymore. She didn’t have to be strong on her own. 

“She needs reassured, Baby Girl,” Wynonna said quietly from across the table, listening to make sure that water was still running, and that the conversation wouldn’t be overheard. Waverly just looked back at her sister questioningly. 

“Nicole knows that I love her, Wynonna. I think I’ve told her 100 times since I got out of the garden.” The older Earp made a gagging noise, teasing, and then smiled. 

“I’m not talking about just telling her that you love her. I mean telling her that she did enough. We both need to tell her that.” Waverly just looked down at her hands. 

“Did you notice that she fixed the railing on the steps?” Wynonna asked. Waverly instantly blushed. She had noticed the minute she came home, but she had been a little too busy to stop and point it out. 

“Did you see the fencing? It runs the whole way around the property. Did you see the shipping container? I’m not sure what the hell is in it, but I’m assuming it’s every supply she could get her hands on. All the traps are built by hand. She has weapons at every door. The whole damn house is like Fort Knox. She kept Rachel safe,” Wynonna elaborated. Waverly had noticed all of it but had failed to mention it. 

“I mean, I saw it all—” the younger Earp started. 

“She lost her job, Waves. They took the job that she loved, and they gave it to a man who isn’t even qualified and is most definitely demonic. He has her hat, Baby Girl. Her whole life was wrapped around being a nark and being with you. She lost both of those things. She managed to keep this place safe for you with no income, and she didn’t know if we were ever coming back. She thought Nedley was dead.” 

“Do you know that she felt bad about not having the right milk for my tea?” Waverly asked softly. Wynonna shook her head and took Waverly’s hand. 

“She has been holding it together for a year and a half, trying to keep things as normal as possible. She has been preparing to try and make you as comfortable as possible in case you were more of a wreck than she was when you came home. We got to come back in here like no time has passed. We missed everything. You don’t need all the information, Waves. You just need to support her . . . and maybe thank her.” The squeaking of the shower turning off was enough to stop Wynonna’s speech. She got up from the table and kissed Waverly’s forehead. Waverly bit her lip and took off toward the stairs. 

“Hey, just . . . be quiet about it. We have a teen in the house now, you know,” Wynonna said smirking, "You've already scarred me for life. Let's give poor Rachel a fighting chance." 

When Nicole came into the bedroom, Waverly was sitting pajama-clad on the end of the bed. Waverly got up, made no noise, and tugged at the towel wrapped around her girlfriend’s body. Nicole let out a soft sigh. 

“Waves, I’m not really . . .” She trailed off as Waverly ignored her and pulled her toward the bed. 

“Lay down, Nicole. On your stomach,” the brunette stated, searching Nicole’s face, watching her eyes look everywhere but back at her. The redhead huffed out a frustrated breath, but did what she was told. Waverly smiled a little at her. It wasn’t often that she acted more dominant, but regardless, she always got what she wanted. 

“Baby, I really should go back downstairs,” Nicole started as she felt the bed shift. Waverly sat on top of her, straddling her middle, and began rubbing her back between her shoulder blades. She moved Nicole’s long hair off to the side, and peppered kisses along her neck and shoulders. 

“Wynonna is on the couch, right beside the door. Rachel is in the bedroom downstairs. Both of them are armed to the hilt, thanks to you. They aren’t going to let anyone,” she kissed Nicole’s ear, “or anything get in.” She felt Nicole relax a little underneath her and smiled against her skin, nuzzling into her neck and inhaling the vanilla scent that was uniquely Nicole. 

“You don’t have to tell me about what happened while I was gone until you're ready,” Waverly started, “but I do want you to listen, okay?” Nicole grunted in response as Waverly worked a knot out of her upper back. 

“Thank you for keeping the homestead safe. You made sure that we had a home to come back to.” She could feel Nicole start to tense. 

“Waverly, please,” the older woman tried to cut her off. She was getting teary and she didn’t want to break down. Waverly scooted down and moved her fingers to Nicole’s sides, trailing them up and down along her ribs. 

“Thank you for working your ass off building the fence. Thank you for setting the traps. Thank you for killing the monsters. Thank you for taking care of Rachel,” Waverly continued as she brushed the hair away that was falling down into her girlfriend’s face. She noticed that Nicole’s cheeks were tearstained. She kissed the redhead’s lower spine. 

“Thank you for milking skunks, for trying to avenge Nedley, for holding everything together,” she kept going as she rubbed Nicole’s legs. “Thank you for worrying about me so much, that you were upset that you didn’t have almond milk in the middle of a revenant take-over.” Nicole let out a small sob. 

“Thank you for waiting for me,” Waverly cooed softly, kissing the back of Nicole’s knees. She felt Nicole shift, and watched her wipe at her eyes. The brunette smiled, and squeezed Nicole’s ass, as she crawled back up towards her neck. She wrapped her body tightly on top of Nicole’s and nuzzled into her right ear again. 

“Baby, you did enough. Please let us do the rest together. We can share the load. We work better as a team”, she stated clearly. Nicole moved to get up, and pulled Waverly against her, chest to chest, nose to nose. She buried her face in Waverly’s shoulder. 

“What if I didn't do enough? What if I'm not enough?” the taller woman said softly. Waverly chuckled, and turned to kiss her cheek. 

“You are enough. You don’t need a badge. You don’t need the silly hat,” she said comfortingly. Plus, we are going to get your job back, Sheriff. I promise.” 

“You think my hat is silly?” Nicole questioned. Waverly smiled, her eyes crinkling at the sincerity in Nicole's question. 

“I love you. I don’t care what hat you have on,” she said, picking up the beanie cap at the bottom of the bed and pulling it onto Nicole’s head, “I like this one, too.” Nicole gave her a half-hearted smile. 

“Plus,” Waverly continued, “it wasn’t your Stetson that I found sexy anyway. It was the khakis.” Nicole burst out laughing for the first time since Waverly came home. They sat quietly for a few minutes, enjoying being close to one another. Nicole broke the silence.

“I shot at Nedley. I never put it together,” she said, starting to withdraw again. Waverly cupped her face, kissed her nose, and stared into sad, honey-colored eyes. 

“I know. He’ll forgive you.” 

“I can’t find Calamity Jane. I’m worried Nedley might have eaten her," Nicole continued. Waverly stifled a laugh. It wasn’t funny, but the way Nicole said it was. 

“Then he’ll have no trouble forgiving you. It will give you both something to apologize for,” Waverly countered.

“Will you go with me to talk to him?” Nicole asked quietly. 

“Where you go, I go,” Waverly replied.

“You're my favorite person in the whole world, Waverly Earp.” 

“I love you, Nicole Haught.” 

Nicole kissed Waverly’s shoulder, and mumbled into the crook of her neck, “I don’t want to talk about everything tonight.” Waverly smiled and stroked her hair lovingly. 

“You don’t have to, baby.” 

“I fixed the stairs,” Nicole joked, easing the tension. 

“I noticed,” Waverly laughed, “the railing is very sturdy.”

“I also installed a lock,” Nicole said, pointing towards the bedroom door. Waverly smiled as she pulled away and walked across the room to flip the lock on the newly-installed deadbolt. Nicole laughed as she watched the love of her life saunter back towards the bed. Waverly licked her lips as she pulled Nicole’s cap off, flung it across the room, and pushed the taller woman onto her back. Nicole’s eyes widened. 

“Just relax, Nicole. I’m not quite done saying ‘thank you’ yet.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Again, it might not be canon, but I just enjoy the domesticated Wayhaught too much to not post it up. Comments and/or kudos are always appreciated. :)
> 
> *Also, I hope the Calamity Jane comment didn’t kill your soul. I like cats, I swear. I’m kind of hoping she comes darting out and scares the shit out of Wynonna some point soon.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[podfic] Holding It Together by Books_and_Blooms](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27772201) by [trashy-reads (trashyeggroll)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/trashyeggroll/pseuds/trashy-reads)




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